The Coming Storm
by Redskin
Summary: A picture can tell a thousand words. This picture is more than that. This picture tells of the bravery of a few, the cunning of many, the intelligence of one great mind and the loyalty of friends...contains spoilers, full summary inside


A picture can tell a thousand words. This picture is more than that. This picture tells of the bravery of a few, the cunning of many, the intelligence of one great mind and the loyalty of friends.

This picture tells how the Dark Lord was defeated…by the houses of Hogwarts.

The Coming Storm

A Slytherins Slippery Trail

Fear was never a new feeling to him, but this all encompassing feeling had never had a grip so hard as it did now. He'd changed his life completely with one action and there was never any going back. Something else, some unknown feeling had his heart in a vice and his mind churned with images of his final moments in his old life. He knew he'd been stupid about it, the first time in his life where his selfishness had really not served him and perhaps his only real regret.

Bright silver eyes scanned the room and he quickly pulled himself into a tighter ball in the corner of the dark room. A tall imposing man stalked the length of the room angrily, his temper barely checked. The tall man brushed greasy lengths of hair from his face and muttered darkly, a few times glaring sharply at the boy sequested into the corner.

There was a commotion at the door that stopped the tall mans pacing and drew the eyes of the boy. The loud bang startled the boy and he fumbled for his wand, hands numb and cold, he couldn't concentrate for any one moment too long, his mind and thoughts still tumbling around. The tall greasy haired man had no problems however in drawing his, the long dangerous wand pointed straight and unceasingly in the direction of the new comer.

It was dressed in heavy robes, a dark hood covered its face. It seemed unconcerned with the wand pointed at it however and merely stood dripping with water in the doorway. The tall greasy haired man flicked his wrist and the wand disappeared.

"Come in then." His deep voice grumbled and the figure moved slowly and closed the door behind it. The greasy haired man with sallow skin slumped into a hard backed wooden chair. "would you like some tea?" he gestured to the cooling pot and untouched tea cups and the figure shook its head before pulling the cowl from its face to reveal dark mattered hair and equally dark eyes.

"Mother sent me…what has happened?" The girl was young, the same age as the boy and though pretty she held no real beauty.

The tall man gestured to the boy still huddled in the corner. The girl raised an eyebrow but did not ask the question that was swimming around in her mind.

"He needs training. I've done enough, you have two weeks to get him strong before I come back for him." The tall man then stood swiftly and stopped just short of the tall girl. She glanced up and him and smiled gently. His large hand landed heavily on her shoulder, a rare sign of affection. "Do what you can."

She bowed her head and then he was gone, the scent of herbs and fire smoke going with him leaving only a heavy tang of mould and damp.

Turning her dark eyes onto the boy in the corner she sighed, this would be a hard task if he was who she thought he was.

Flicking out her 10 inch ebony wand infused with dragon heartstring she dried herself off and then sent a quick cleaning spell throughout the room. Then she explored the small dark house and placed strengthening charms on all of the wards already in place and a few of her own make. After that she made a quick simple meal and went back into the room with the pitiful excuse for a wizard. She stared at him for a while before beginning to eat her meal, contemplating the task she now had before her.

He watched her beneath his eyelashes as he'd done when at home with his family and his father whenever he was home and in the room. It was a way to have people think you were asleep and really understand them, know their motives. He knew that both the professor and this girl thought him delicate, that he needed help. But he knew different, he knew what would be required of him and that there was still a choice.

It amused him to no end to remember the farce he'd had to play at school, the little weakling Slytherin prince who needed daddy to help him fight his battles, who let Potter win each and every time, who insulted mudbloods so crudely. Really, who did those imbeciles think he was? Some untrained snake? It really was a credit to his acting ability to be able to fool so fully everyone around him. He'd played his part well and just look where it had gotten him. He knew he still had one choice left to make, follow his weakling father into the service of some evil dictator who wanted all the glory for himself, reduced to the muscle of someone else's dreams and desires. Or turn out like his godfather, a spy for the order of the phoenix, the true cunning and test of his abilities. Really there was no contest. Lord Voldemort was only half of his former self and twice as crazy. The man, if he could call it that was an idiot bent only on destroying Potter, not that that wasn't an admirable goal as the half-blood hero had annoyed him constantly with his bigotry and stupid heroism all through school. But really, to have all of your goals and dreams stagnated because of a boy? It was a bad quality to have in a ruler.

The girl had moved again. Really what did his professor, mentor and godfather have in mind when he'd told this girl to teach him? He knew all there was to the dark arts, all there was to anything. That mudblood had thought she was so smart, school had been a joke, there had been no challenge for him and he saw no reason to flaunt that to anyone, why hold all your cards facing up? Better them to think you a fool then to end up the fool.

What could this girl teach him? To not feel this fear of knowing that he was about to step into an unknown place that was going to be more of a challenge then pretending at a school would be. Where he was going to have to trick and trade with the best of them…what could she know about that life? It wasn't hard to figure out that the girl was somehow related to his godfather, the colouring and facial features were a dead giveaway. However the closeness of the relation wasn't. He closed his eyes more fully and then snapped them open quickly as the image of Professor Dumbledore looking at him with those dull blue eyes, giving him hope that he could escape the inevitable was heart wrenching and made him feel sick all over again.

"You'll need a pensive." The girl said softly startling the boy into looking at her. She was studying him closely. "Maybe even Occulmency lessons, I'm sure you're a well versed legilimens." She spooned some more food into her mouth and then stood up and came slowly towards him. He wondered why she walked that way, as if every step was carefully considered before it was taken. Then she crouched before him, her dark hair sliding over her shoulders.

"I have no doubt that you are well trained in most things, you are a Malfoy after all. However this guilt that you carry will need to be dealt with. I'm sure this is a new feeling for you." She smiled coldly "I am no stranger to it." She reached out and slapped him hard across the face. His head whipped to the side and anger swelled within him and before he knew what he was doing he was standing with his wand held tightly in his hand and an unforgivable on his lips. She smiled brightly up at him.

"At least you're functioning properly. Go and change your clothes and I'll make you something to eat, then you'll need some rest."

Draco glared coldly at the girl and did not move. She shrugged and stood herself, coming just short of his aristocratic nose. "My name is Aderyn Snape, and my father has charged me with your care. We can do this my way or yours; I assure you mine is the less painful one."

Draco tilted his head to the side and filed that information away for further study and complied with the witches wishes…for now anyway.

The shower was cold and stung his skin but it did help to control his turmoil, it gave sharp focus to his fogged brain and allowed him to analytically go over everything that had happened in the last two days.

The tower played across his eyes and he clenched his hand tightly, relishing in the sting of his fingernails into soft flesh. He remembered the relief he'd felt at Dumbledore's words, the complete and utter despair when the other death eaters had entered the room, knowing that he no longer had any real choice or power in the situation after that and then the overwhelming gratitude when Snape had swept into the room and done what he knew he did not have the strength to do himself. But he knew that the death of Dumbledore was on his shoulders, all of his plans and cunning had set up the trap, and it was a blow to his pride that he could not have finished off an already dying man. He knew that the old man had been up to something that night, what is was he wasn't sure but one thing that he did know was that the old man was going to die that night. If it hadn't been for his godfather he was positive that the headmaster would have died that night anyway. But that knowledge gave little comfort. His actions had made him a fugitive of the wizarding world and he would need to redeem himself if he was ever going to be able to function in that world again. He refused to live like a Muggle and even more he would never go to Azkaban. Death was a better alternative.

He turned off the shower and quickly dressed in the loose slacks and button down shirt that was left over the back of the chair for him and he walked swiftly to the lounge and sat down on a comfy sofa lifting his feet up to rest on the arm.

Aderyn sat at the table, her back to him as she wrote slowly on a parchment, her movements precise and calculated. She finished with a flourish and then turned to face him, wand in hand. Draco tensed and then relaxed as a plate of food appeared in front of him. He cast all manner of charms and detection spells to make sure that the food was not poisoned before starting to eat. He missed the smile that was directed in his direction for his actions.

"What is your choice then?" Draco looked up, eyebrows clashed together in a frown. "Are you to join the Death Eater ranks?"

Draco shrugged inelegantly and turned his eyes from her. "Or will you be a spy for the cause?"

"And what cause would that be?" Draco asked, carefully keeping his face averted. He was a good actor but the memories were still too fresh, his control was not solid and he did not want to give anything away. She smiled softly and brushed her silky hair from her shoulder.

"Clever master Malfoy, but perhaps a better answer would have been complete denial of any defection. You will need to change your tactics if you are to become a spy. Your thinking will need to alter. Answer me this question, who would be the better friend to be rid of, the Weasley boy or Granger?"

Draco narrowed his eyes "Granger, she's the mudblood and the smartest of them, she is the better target."

Aderyn shook her head and tutted "If you were a death eater then maybe that would be the case, however if Granger died then both Potter and Weasley would take revenge, be stupid and get themselves killed. If Weasley were to die they would be sad, Granger and potter would band together and be smart about what to do next, they would plan and prepare. A better choice and outcome for the cause. I am sure that you can see the difference. Your thinking will need to change, but I do not believe that it will be a difficult task for a Slytherin." She slid her eyes away and Draco narrowed his own.

"I've seen you before." He sated, not at all surprised "a year younger then me? A Slytherin though your name wasn't Aderyn Snape but something nondescript and plain." He laughed "a wonderful disguise, but not very advantageous."  
The dark haired girl raised her eyebrows and shrugged "if you say so. Goodnight Master Malfoy, tomorrow I will have a pensive for you to use at your leisure."

Pale silver eyes followed the girl as she left the room, her wand flicking out and a pallet appeared beside him, ready for him to use and he grunted before rolling over and laying on top of the covers, his eyes closed and he fell asleep easily, that _witch_ must have put something in his food!

Disclaimer: I do not own any harry potter characters. This contains spoilers, everything is owned by J.K.Rowling. I do however own Aderyn and the story line for this fanfiction thank you.


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